As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

In half an hour, the dark gray car slowed down as Kazuya drove inside a basement of a high-rise condominium complex. The sun was still sprinkling golden lights all over the bright sky. 

Himari just kept her silence as she quietly assessed the surrounding. Even from sitting inside the car, she was already amazed by how sophisticated and luxurious this place appeared to be.

This high-rise residential complex was not a place she even dared to rent or own.

"We're here," Kazuya announced gently. With a slight turn of his head, he looked at Himari, "Come. I'll show you the way."

"Okay," Himari just replied obediently.

They left the card and entered the basement lobby. Kazuya tapped a card against a black-colored box next to the sliding doors. Both of them walked inside the lobby, the sounds of their heels echoed against the marble floor. 

Truth to be told, from the beginning that Kazuya said he wanted to show her his own place, Himari couldn't stop her heart from beating loudly. No matter how much she trusted Kazuya, she still felt uncomfortable at the thought of visiting his personal space.

Well, rather than uncomfortable, maybe the right word was uneasy? Or, nervous?

Himari inwardly berated herself. Even she herself didn't know how to choose the right words for her situation right now.

"My unit is on the 27th floor," Kazuya gestured at Himari to enter the elevator, "It might be a bit dusty. The housekeeper only comes to clean the place once a week."

Himari pulled her gaze away from the glass panels of the elevator that revealed the entire city outside. She looked at the man standing next to her, "Do you come here often?"

Kazuya only said this place was his personal abode. Himari didn't know how frequently he came here since this residential complex was far from both the villa and his brother's company.

Kazuya lifted up his eyelids, staring back at her. With a smile tugged on his lips, he replied, "I just come here whenever I need personal space. En, the last time I spent more than six hours here was three months ago."

"Then, how about the other times?" Himari was curious.

Kazuya chuckled, "Other than that, maybe it's less than one hour? Just to make sure I remember my way here."

Himari was amused because of his words.

Soon, both of them stopped in front of a condominium unit. A glossy surface plate with four numbers carved on the surface was hung over the bell.

No. 2705.

"It's at the end of this floor," Himari murmured. Her eyes looked around her, "Does your place oversee the city?"

Even though all the units here had vast balconies, it would be a bit different for the unit that was placed at the end lot. 

Kazuya laughed pleasantly. He scanned his thumb over the lock before keying the password. One of his hands gently held her wrist, "Come inside."

Himari followed his steps. She tried to press down her anxiousness of visiting this place, a man's abode, alone with just him.

The moment Himari entered the unit, she was greeted by the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The left side of the entryway was paneled in glasses while the right side was the usual concrete wall.

"It's beautiful."

The words flowed out of her mouth without her realizing it.

Instead of looking straightaway at the gray skyscrapers of the city, Himari saw greenery in front of her. She didn't notice that this high-rise complex was just beside a large city park. Next to the park, a large and vast river flowed freely under the sun, leaving sparkles on its surface.

"Change into these slippers."

Kazuya's voice pulled Himari back from her trance. She blinked, stared at him then at the floor. 

A pair of white home slippers with pink strawberries was placed in front of her. 

"You... When did you prepare this?"

It was the perfect size for her and the design was quite similar to the ones he bought for her before, the slippers that she used at the villa.

Kazuya shrugged with a smirk hanging on his lips, "Hurm, some time ago?"

Himari let out a helpless laugh. She was smiling brightly as she said, "Sorry for intruding."

Kazuya's eyes were soft, "Why do you mean intruding? This is your boyfriend's place. You can come and go as you please."

Himari rolled her eyes. Kazuya responded by squeezing her cheeks.

"Actually, I rented this unit before I took over the company," Kazuya slowly recounted his abode's history to Himari as they walked past the hallway leading to the living room, "I didn't stop renting it even after I started living at the villa. Then, last year, I managed to persuade the owner to sell it to me."

"This place must be special to you," Himari made a guess.

Although this place appeared simple, it perfectly matched with this man. There were not many decorations adorned this unit but, the simplicity helped to ease her nervousness.

"Sit down," Kazuya took off his jacket and hang it over a couch. He slowly folded the sleeves of his shirt up to the elbows, "I'll get you some drink. Do you want tea?"

"Sounds nice," Himari smiled.

While Kazuya was busy in the kitchen, Himari took the opportunity to look around the living room. She put down her handbag on the dark gray couch. Her feet brought her to the tall shelf at one corner of the room.

Most of the books here were about designs. As Himari recalled how good Kazuya's drawing was, her guess that it was a part of his dreams further cemented in her mind.

As Himari read the titles on the spines, her interest was caught in a fiction book. It was in English. Himari took the book out of the shelf and read the blurb at the back of the book.

A Man Called Ove.

Ah, apparently, he read this book as well.

This book was written by a Swedish author. The grumpy yet awkward old man called Ove had successfully captured the hearts of the readers all over the world.

Himari flipped open the book. Her lips curled up slightly before they drooped as she read a paragraph in the book. 

As much as she enjoyed this book, Himari couldn't forget the sad feeling she felt throughout the time she read it.

"Do you want to borrow the book? You can bring it back with you."

Kazuya's voice sounded from behind her. Himari was startled as the man's shadow fell over her shoulders.

"Uh, I have one copy of this book too," She answered in a low voice. 

"I picked up the book at random," Kazuya smiled faintly, "I didn't expect to be hooked by it."

The man stood right next to the young lady. Her right shoulder almost touched his chest as he leaned down to read the part where she opened the book. 

Kazuya was still smiling but his eyes carried a hint of loss, "Even though I can't deny that I enjoy this book, at the same time, I dislike it as well."

Himari unconsciously tightened her grip over the book. She lowered her voice, "It is because of its theme?"

Memory and grief. Youth and aging. Principles and loyalty.

Those were among the themes surrounded the book.

Kazuya raised his brows and smiled, "Maybe, I just force myself to enjoy it at first."

The end of his voice sounded so stiff, it was so unlike his usual gentle tone.

Himari didn't ask him further when the man turned around and walked to the couch. She put the book back on the shelf and joined him as Kazuya beckoned at her to sit next to him.

"Should we have an early dinner together?" Kazuya lifted up the teapot, tilted it down and let the clear brown liquid gushed out into a teacup, "You can choose the place."

Himari thanked him after Kazuya handed the cup to her. She hummed softly, her eyes wandered on the ceiling, "En, I feel like having street food tonight."

"Street food?" 

"Yup! Ah, but, do you want something else?"

Kazuya curled up his lips, "I'm okay with anything."

As long as you wanted it.

After drinking half of the tea, Himari leaned her back against the soft cushion of the couch. She looked out of the glass windows. The peaceful scenery outside made her forgotten that she was actually still in the city.

"No wonder you bought this place. Even the view outside is good," Himari murmured without looking at Kazuya.

The man lowered his eyes at the young lady beside her. Kazuya held back his laughter at the sight of her looking so comfortable resting on the couch.

"The villa is good but, I still want to have a place of my own," he confessed honestly.

Himari nodded in understanding. 

After all, the villa where he was currently residing was his brother's home.

Himari stopped talking. She resumed her silence as she was still enjoying the view.

Ah, she suddenly recalled the relaxing feeling she had when she was having a facial massage a few hours earlier. But, Himari secretly thought that she enjoyed this scene more.

How strange.

The anxiousness that coiled inside her was thoroughly gone. She felt so at ease at a place where she visited for the first time.

As the thoughts drifted away from her mind, her eyelids gradually closed.

Thud.

Kazuya raised his brows when he felt something landed softly on his right shoulder. His lips curved up in an instant. 

His young lady had already entered dreamland.

"Hey, once again you fell asleep with only a man with you in a room?" Kazuya let out a low chuckle, "Even after three years, you're still the same, too trusting ah."

Himari's steady breathing answered him. 

Kazuya pressed down his laughter. He carefully supported her head with a hand before he placed his arm behind her. Kazuya gently let Himari leaned on him as he stroked her hair.

"Sleep, my lady."

His soft whisper echoed in the close distance between them. 

The young lady's eyelashes fluttered slightly.